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Contra Costa County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
Smart Voter

Academic Achievement

By Susan L. Pricco

Candidate for Board Member; West Contra Costa Unified School District

This information is provided by the candidate
WCCUSD must change it attitude and focus on education, not money. Half of our students cannot read at grade levels. Math scores are equally dismal.
Despite its self congratulatory praises for academic improvement, students in the West Contra Costa Unified School District continue to flounder academically. Math and Reading scores for the District students are deplorable. Over the last 5 years, there has been minimal improvements (just 9%) in SAT-9 test scores for Grades 1 through 3, which means that more than HALF of our students in these grades are not reading at grade level. It gets worse as the children get older and takes a nosedive for Middle and High School students. Reading and Math are the two core subjects essential for the future of our children and our country.  Yet, only 25% of our students graduate from High School achieving at or above the national average.

State and Federal guidelines for grade level reading and math are too low and half of our students are not achieving those standards.

This is not about money, even though we keep pouring bond money into the District. You cannot buy achievement. Parents, especially at the higher grades, must be encouraged to actively participate in the education process. Community members must be encouraged to involve themselves in the educational system. The school belongs to us all and neighborhoods need to invest in the ownership of it.

WCCUSD must change their attitude and focus on learning. Remove administrative barriers, pay teachers a competitive salary and benefits and let them do their job.

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